Chicken Parmesan is a tasty dish made even more delicious by the addition of this herb-filled red sauce. Both elements of this dish are quick and easy to prepare and you have a choice between either frying or baking the chicken.

Ingredients

Red Sauce

7 tomatoes

2 onions

4 tablespoons of vegetable oil

4 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons parsley

2 tablespoons basil

2 tablespoons oregano

Bay leaves (optional)

Salt (per preference)

Pepper (per preference)

Chicken

4 chicken breasts

1 box of breadcrumbs (Panko breadcrumbs)

2 cups of all purpose (plain) flour

5 large eggs

1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

Salt (per preference)

Pepper (per preference)

Parsley (garnish)

Steps

Part 1

Making the Sauce

1

Chop and sauté the onions. Chop up the red onions. In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil until it begins to simmer. Once the oil has begun to simmer, add the onions to the saucepan. Sauté the onions until golden brown. This should take about roughly 2-3 minutes.

2

Dice the garlic cloves. Dice the garlic gloves into very fine pieces. Add chopped parsley, basil, oregano, and bay leaves to the pan, along with the diced garlic.

Mix the ingredients in the pan together.

3

Puree the tomatoes. Wash the tomatoes, toss them into the blender and press the puree setting.

Simultaneously watch the ingredients in the pan, as well as the puree.

Once the tomatoes are ready, add the puree to the mixture on the stove and stir.

4

Bring the sauce to a simmer. Allow the sauce to first boil before reducing heat.

Once the heat is reduced, let the sauce simmer for approximately 10 minutes while stirring periodically.

Turn off the stove. The sauce is done when the consistency becomes thicker and less watery. Let the sauce sit and thicken while you begin to prepare the chicken.

Part 2

Preparing the Chicken

1

Clean and cut the chicken breasts. Slice chicken breasts into thin strips. Proceed to trim off any excess fat along the edges of the chicken breasts.

This next step is optional: prepare a bowl of vinegar to soak the chicken in for 10 minutes. Soaking the chicken in vinegar will help clean and tenderize the meat.

2

Prepare the breading. Start by setting up 3 bowls: The first is for the flour , the second to crack and whisk eggs in, and the third for the breading.

In the first bowl, add 2 cups of all purpose flour. This is the first bowl the chicken will be placed into.

In the second bowl, crack and whisk 5 large eggs. Place the chicken in this bowl after it is coated with flour.

In the third bowl, add the Panko breadcrumbs. It is optional to add any herbs to this bowl at this point for more flavor. This is the final step of breading the chicken.

3

Cook the chicken. It is possible to cook the chicken 2 different ways: frying or baking. Every person has a different preference, so you may choose the method that best suits you.

Fried

1

Begin by heating up a saucepan with the vegetable oil on medium heat. To check if the oil is ready, place a breadcrumb in the sauce pan. If the oil simmers, you are ready to cook the chicken.

Place a chicken breast in the hot oil and wait 3 to 5 minutes before flipping. After the first flip, wait an additional 3 to 5 minutes before flipping the chicken again. To check if the chicken is ready, make a small cut to see whether the inside is still pink. If the chicken is white on the inside, then it is fully cooked.

Baked

1

Preheat the oven to 350°C (662°F). Begin by taking out a baking sheet and place enough aluminum foil to cover the entire baking sheet. Then, evenly spread olive oil on the tray.

Neatly arrange the breaded chicken on the tray leaving gaps between each piece. When the oven is preheated, place the tray in the oven and bake for 25 minutes before flipping the chicken. After the first flip, wait an additional 10 to 15 minutes before removing the chicken.

To check if the chicken is ready, make a small cut to see whether the inside is still pink. If the chicken is white on the inside, then it is fully cooked.

Part 3

Finishing the Chicken Parmesan

1

Spread a thin layer of red sauce on top of chicken. After the chicken comes out of the oven, take the red sauce or your own sauce and spread a think layer on top.

2

Add the cheeses. After the sauce is place on top of the chicken, sprinkle the amount you desire of both Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, to cover the sauce.

3

Broil the chicken. Change the oven setting to broil, and broil the chicken breasts until the cheese becomes golden brown.

For the fried method, place the saucepan with the chicken breasts inside the oven to broil.

For the baked method, place the baking sheet with the chicken breasts inside the oven to broil.

4

Remove the chicken and garnish. When the cheese has turned golden brown, remove the chicken. To serve, garnish with parsley.

5

Bon appétit! You have successfully created a beautiful Italian dinner, now savor the taste!

Community Q&A

Tips

If you prefer to make your own sauce, it is recommended that you prepared the sauce 1 day before, to maximize the flavor. Preparing the sauce a day ahead allows the sauce to settle and overall taste better!

This recipe is made with red sauce, however if you prefer pesto sauce, see How to Make Pesto.

Things You'll Need

Cutting board (and an additional one for the meat, if that's your preference)